Electric welding.



c. HQ KlcKLlGHTER.

ELECTRIC WELDING.

APPLICATION FILED 050.15, |916.

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C. H. KICKLIGHTER.

ELECTRIC WELDING.

APPLICATION FILI-:D DEC. I5. 1916.'

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIM/58858:' i [NVE/WOR Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

C. H. KICKLIGHTER.

ELECTRIC WELDING.

A P P L l C A T 0 N F L E D D E C 1 5 1 9 I 6- 1,236,09 1 Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

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WIT/VESSES: IN VEN TOI? CHARLES H. KICKLIGHTER, OF MACON. GEORGIA.

ELECTRIC XVELDING.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented Aug. 7, 19117.,

Application led December 15, 1916. Serial No. 137,194.

of which the following is a specification.

Fly invention relates to an apparatus and method for electric welding and its object is to provide an apparatus andv method for making a plurality of Welds simultaneously v by the use of poly-phase currents.

Briefly stated, the apparatus consists of a bank of transformers disposed around the position of the Work and adapted to apply three-phase Welding currents to a plurality of points disposed around a circular seam in a metal cylinder. Means are also provided for collecting and reuniting these currents, afterytheir passage through the work, on 'a member or members of neutral potential within the cylinder. The method consists of passing the three-phase currents radially through the circular seam and reuniting the currents on a member of-neutral potential within the cylinder.

Figure 1 is a sketch illustrating a thr'eephase electric Welding machine with the secondaries delta-connected and adapted to weld a circular seam in a metal cylinder at a plurality of points disposed around said seam.

Fig. 2 is adiagram of the electric connections in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side-view of `the metallic cylinder and a portion of the Welding V apparatus of Fig. 1, which is adapted to insert Within the cylinder.

Fig. 4 illustrates a three-phase electric Welder with secondaries delta-connected, the transformers being disposed so as to surround and to be in close proximity with the cylindrical Work.

Fig. 5 illustrates a three-phase electric Welder similar to Fig. 4, but With the tWo secondaries having an open-delta-connection.

Fig. 6 illustrates a three-phase electric Welder With secondaries delta-connected and having a plurality of Welding terminals per secondary conductor. l

Fig. 7 illustrates a three-phase electric vvelder with secondaries having an opendelta-connection and each secondary conductor provided with a plurality of current pressure blocks.

Fig. 1 illustrates a welding apparatus, c011- sisting of a set of transformers with their secondaries 16, 17 and 18 delta-connected in the usual Way so as to give three-phase current. The transformer cores are noted by 22, 23 and 24, respectively. The primaries 19, 20 and 21 are connected through switch to the supply. The conductors 13, 14 and l5 connect the transformer secondaries to the welding terminals 1--1, 2 2 and 3-3 which are adapted to be forced against the Work by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in cylinders 10, 11 and 12. Opposite to these Welding terminals are disposed a plurality of Welding pieces or terminals 4-4, directly inter-connected and adapted to be forced radially outward against the W'ork by a cam-Wheel 5. This cam-Wheel may be rotated through a small angle about the shaftV 6 by pressure in cylinder 9 acting through piston rod 8 and crank pin 7. Switch 25 1connects the primaries to the transmission ine.

Fig. 2 illustrates the electrical connections of the apparatus of Fig. 1. The primaries 19-20-21 and thev secondaries 16-17-18 are here shown delta-connected. The Weld ing pieces 4 are here shown directly interconnected, thus forming a member of neu tral potential. Here the three-phase Welding currents reunite Within the cylindrical Work. f

Fig. 3 illustrates the head of a metal cylinder with the Welding pieces 4-4 forced radially outward against the interior circumference thereof. The cam- Wheel 5 is connected by a shaft 6 to a crank-disk 27. The crank pin is noted by 7, and 26 is a bearing for the shaft 6. By means of this shaft the Welding pieces 4-4Inay be inserted a long distance into a cylindrical shell or pipe.

Fig. 4 illustrates a Welding apparatus in 'which ay set of three-phase secondaries 16a,

17n and 18 are delta-connected in the usual way. 19, 20a and 213 illustrate the corresponding primaries and 22a, 23' and 24V their cores. The diagram of electric connections is the same as that shown in Fig.

2. The transformers are arranged so as to surround the Work, and the secondary leads or conductors 13)-14a-15a With the transformer secondaries form an unbroken circumference or yoke about the Work. The yoke-arcs 7a-8^9n form a complete eircumference about the Work for supporting and guiding the welding terminals 1a, 2n and 3, These terminals are adapted to be forced downward lirmly by electro-magnets 11a, and 12a against the work opposite I to welding pieces 43449. These welding pieces PP-4a are adapted to be pressed out radially against the work by a conical sleeve 5 sliding on shaft 6a'.

Fig. 5 illustrates a welding apparatus consisting of a bank of three-phase transformers with the secondaries having an opendelta-connection, vas is well understood in the art. Only two transformer secondaries 17b'and 18b are necessary. 2Ob and 21b illustrate the corresponding primaries and 23b and 24h their cores respectively. -The welding terminals l", I2byand 3b are adapted to b'eforced radially inward by rods 10b, 11b

"and 12E against thev work opposite t welding pieces 4b. Rods 10b, 11b and 12b may i y be appropriately connected to a hand lever,

electromagnets, or pneumatic means for forcing thev welding terminals against the Work. The welding pieces L1:"--4rhare adapted to.be pressed out radially against the work by conical sleeve 5b on shaft 6b. 13b,

14h and 15b denote the secondary leads, and 7 b, 8", and 9b the yokes for supporting and Aguiding the welding terminals 1", 2b and 3b.

Fig. 6 illustrates a welding apparatus having a set of three-phase secondaries 16, 17 'and 18C delta-connected. Each phase is provided with a plurality of weldin terminals iLife-1', 22c-2, an sc- 3c-3. These welding terminals may all A be applied and used simultaneously or they i the independent motion of the welding ter.

5 ing the transformers, etc.

p tact pieces ld-4d.

to make three welds b applying welding terminals 1?--22-.3c an eXc1tingthe trans formers, second to make three intermediate welds by applying terminals 'lc-Q/c-Sc -and exciting the transformers, and third to make three more intermediate welds by applying terminals 1--2v=-3c and excit- The loops in the secondary conductors 13, 14C and' 15c are necessary to aHOrd greater flexibility for consisting of a bank of three-phase trans-` formers. having `open delta-connection. Means are providedv for rst screwing down all welding terminals into the yoke ,7d- 8d-v 9d so as to clamp the work against the cony After this the currentpressure blocks 10d'--lOm--lll--lld and 121---121d to which are connected the secondary leads lnd-lld--ld respectively, are

applied to the projecting ends of the welding terminals. The currents may be passed from all of these welding terminals simultaneous'lvor may be passedfrom them in The operation is apparent. Referring again to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and especially to Fig. 1,--the circular seam of the cylinder isinserted around the welding pieces H and is brought between them and the oppositely disposed welding terminalsv 1-1- 2-2-3-3. VHydraulic or pneumatic is admitted into cylinders 9, 10, 11 and 12. The pressure in cylinder 9 thrusts the piston rod 8 forward, actsupon pin 7, rotates the shaft 6 and the cam disk 5 through a small-angle and forces the welding pieces 1e-1. radially outward against the cylin! drical seam. -The pressures in cylinders 10, 11 and 12 act through appropriate link work to-f0rce the welding Yterminals radially inward againstk the cylindrical seam. The supply switch 25 is now closed. The three-phase primary currents inthe primaries 19, 20, 'and 21induce secondary currents in secondaries 16, 17 and 18 respectively. The welding currents pass by leads 13, 14 and l5 to welding terminals 1-1, 2-2 and 3 3 and thence through the metal of the seam to the opposing Welding pieces 4 4', which are inter-connected and are of neutral potential and on which the phase currents reunite. Vhen the current has passedl sufficiently long to produce the desired welds in the circular seam, the

Lswitch 25 is opened andthe pressure in cylinders 9, 10, 11 and 12 released. The

work may be turned through a small angle about axis 6 in order to makenanother series of intermediate welds, between the above, and the process repeated.

The operation in all of the illustrations is essentially the same. However, in order to make the operation as plain as possible attention is directed again to Fig. 6. In this apparatus all of the welding terminals could be applied simultaneously but it seems more advantageous to apply these in sets of threes. The circular seam of the cylinder' `is inserted around welding pieces lc-1 and is brought between them and the oppositely disposed terminals'lc, 2, 3, etc. Welding terminals 1C--2-3c are first forced down by mechanical pressure against the work opposite to welding pieces 4-1L-4c, and the primary windings 19"-2OC--21c are excited. lVelding currents in three-phaserelation pass from the transformer secondaries 16C-17c-18, the coductors 13- 11---15c and vthe welding terminals 1- 2C-3c through the metal of the seam to the welding pieces Ll- C-'tC-on which these currents reunite. The heat caused bythe passage of the current through the seam, in conjunction with the mechanical pressure,

causes the metal directly between the Welding terminals to become fused. The heating current is now discontinued, the terminals C 3C raised, the terminals lC-Qc-Sc are now forced against the Work, the Welding current again passed through the seam, and three more Welds made. Thereupon the heating ,current is discontinued, these terminals raised, the terminals lc-2C-3c are forced against the Work, the Welding current again passed through the seam and three more Welds made, and so on.

lVhat I claim is:

l. The method of Welding two pieces of metal together along a circula-r seam, consisting in applying to a series of points disposed around the outside circumference thereof a plurality of currents in different phase relation and. in conveying said currents through the parts to be Welded to a point of common union Within the circular seam.

2. The method of fastening two pieces of metal together alonga circular seam, consisting in applying to a plurality of points disposed around the outside circumference thereof a plurality of currents in threephase relation and in directly uniting said currents Within the circular seam after their passage through the parts to be heated.

3. The method of forming a spot Welded circular seam in a sheet metal cylinder by the use of pointed electrodes, consisting in bringing the electrodes in contact with the seam at points distributed around the circumference thereof, in passing from said electrodes a plurality of electric currents in three-phase relation and in conveying said currents respectively from their \points 'of application through the parts to be Welded directly to a point of neutral potential within. y

4. The method of forming a circular seam in sheet metal, consisting in applying Welding electrodes to the sheet metal at a plurality of points' disposed around the 'Whole circumference of the cifrcl'e and then conducting from said electrodes through the sheet metalto a point of common union within a plurality of currents -inthree-phase relation. A

5. The -method of fastening two pieces of sheet metal together along a circular seam, consisting in applying a plurality of currents in different phase relation to'points disposed around the circumference thereof and in yconveying said currents respectively from their points of application through the parts to he heated directly to a point of n`eutral potential within. t

(3. The method of forming l a circular seam in sheet metal, consisting .in applying a plurality of currents in three-phase relation to the sheet metal at a plurality of points disposed around the Whole circumference of the circle, in conducting said currents through the sheet metal at said points, in directly uniting the currents Within the circular seam, in thereafter applying a plurality of currents in three-phase relation to intermediatev points around the circumference along the line of seam, in conducting these currents through the sheet metal and in directly uniting them Within the circumference of the seam.

7. In an electric metal Working apparatus for forming seams in a metal cylinder, the combination of a set of inter-connected polyphase transformers' so disposed as to surround and be in close proximity to said cylinder, of a plurality of Work engaging electrodes connected to the secondaries of the polyphase transformers and adapted to contact With points on the outside of the said cylinder, of a plurality of inter-connected Work engaging members disposed opposite to said electrodes and adapted to contact with points on the-inside of the said cylinder.

8. In an electric metal Working apparatus for forming seams in a metal cylinder, the combination of a plurality of inter-connected polyphase transformers so disposed as to surround and be in close proximity to said cylinder of means for applying polyphase currents from-the transformer secondaries to points disposed along the outside of saidcylinder and means for conducting said currents from corresponding directly .opposite points on the inside of the cylinder .to a point of common union.

9. In an electric metal Working apparatus for forming a circular seam, the combination of a bank of three-phase transformers so disposed as to surround and be in close A proximity to `said seam, of a plurality of engaging electrodes connected to the transformer "secondaries and of a plurality of inter-connected contact points disposed opposite to said former engaging electrodes. i

10. In an electric metal Working apparatus for spot-.Welding a'circular seam, the combination of a bank of transformers three-phase connected and so disposed as'to surround and be in close proximity to said circular seam, of a plurality of welding electrodes connected tothe secondarles of the transformers and adapted to contact with the circular seam at points dis osedg alongthe outside circumference thereo ,and of a plurality of welding terminals, interlogo connected, disposed opposite to aforesaid ,'Welding electrodes, and adapted to contact with the circular seam at points disposed along they inside circumference thereof.

11. An electric metal working apparatus, consisting of a circular yoke adapted to surroundthe Work, of engaging electrodes connected to said yoke at varlous points disposed along the circumference thereof, of

means for maintaining three portions of the yoke at electrical potentials having a threephase relation and of another set of engaging electrodes, electrically inter-connected, disposed opposite to the aforesaid engagin electrodes, and adapted to be surrounde by the work.

l2. In an electrio'metal Working apparatus for forming seams in a metal cylinder,

the combination of a set of inter-connected polyphase transformer secondaries so disposed as to lie around the cylinder, of a plurality of Work engaging electrodes connected to the transformer secondaries and adapted vto contact with points on the outside of said cylinder, and of a member so disposed as to lie Within the cylinder and adapted to unite the polyphase currents which may be delivered by said engaging electrodes after the passage of such currentsthrough the seam of the metal cylinder. v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub scribing Witnesses atMacon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, this 13th dav of December,19l6.

CHARLES H. KICKLIGHTER.

Witnesses:

B. F. HALE, R. F. FINCHER. 

